(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)
Ro-Biki Notebooks are unique for many reasons. First, they are an unusual size: 3.6 by 8.3 inches. Second, they contain paper made exclusively by the Yamamoto Paper Company. And third, they are offered with intriguing grid types, including 2mm squared grid and 5mm reticle.
I'm reviewing the Ro-Biki 2mm Squared Notebook. It has a russet-colored kraft paper cover that is waxed, giving it a lovely sheen, and it only gets better with age. The notebook features rounded corners and a chain stitch binding. The chain stitch offers much more flair than the usual pamphlet stitch. Plus, it makes the notebook extra sturdy. You can fold the notebook over on itself without worrying about any paper falling out or damaging the binding.
The notebook has 30 sheets (60 pages front and back) of 70gsm New Chiffon Cream paper. A 2mm grid is lightly printed on each page.
The paper is smooth and is thicker than Tomoe River Paper. It also has a more stationery-like quality.
The paper handles fountain pens perfectly. I tested it with ten different pens and inks. None of the ink feathered or bled through to the other side. Although I did not see any sheen in the writing test, shading was apparent with the wider nibs.
I did ink swabs in the notebook. All of the inks look fantastic on the paper, and some of the inks exhibited sheen, though it is not as noticeable as it would be on Tomoe. Bleed through occurred with many of the swabs.
I also tested a few other writing instruments, including several pens, Sharpies, and pencils. The only bleed through occurred with the Sharpies.
I tried making a pattern using the 2mm grid, but it was really hard to see. This is partly because I'm having major problems with my right eye (I've been to the ophthalmologist three times this week! Yay!), but it's also just a very tiny and light grid. People who love writing small will love this feature, but for me it's not too useful. Obviously, you don't have to write within the 2mm squares. You can use the grid as a guide for larger writing or for drawing.
The Ro-Biki Notebook is well made and durable. Its unusual size makes it suitable as a "Currently Inked" journal, a bullet journal, or a place for lists of any kind. I doubt I would use it for writing lengthy journal posts simply because it is so narrow. But, the nice thing about grids is that you can write in any direction--you could even use the notebook in landscape for sketching or writing.
I purchased my Ro-Biki notebook so long ago, I don't remember where I bought it. But it is available at JetPens for $7.75 or from Vanness Pens for $8.00.
(I purchased my Ro-Biki notebook with my own funds.)
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